Shuttle box for looms



March 21, 1950. A. H. LA FRENIERE SHUTTLE BOX FOR LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet l FZ IZUewZar We fiafi'ezzz'ere Filed July 7, 1948 March 21, 1950 A. H? LA FRENIEREY SHUTTLE Box; FOR Looms 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July '7, 1948 fizz/e22 202 March 21, 1950 A. H. LA FRENIERE 2,501,394 7 SHUTTLE Box FOR IJboM's Filed July 7, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March2l. 1950 E 'A. H. LA FRENIERE 2,501,394

' 'SHUTTLE BOX FOR LOOMS Filed July '7, 1948 -4 Sheets-Shet ,4

Jrzuerqor 11 ni/o zyfl 401 52923876 Patented Mar. 21, 1950 SHUTTLE BOX FOR LOOMS Anthony H. La Freniere, North Adams, Mass., as-

signor to La Freniere Research Corporation, North Adams, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 7, 1948, Serial No. 37,325

22 Claims. (01. 139---186) This invention pertains to textile looms and. more particularly to an improved shuttle box for such a loom and to a novel method of boxing the shuttlethe present application being a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 748,191, filed May 15, 1947, now abandoned. The invention relates to weaving looms which in other respects may be of conventional type and wherein a shuttle is impelled back and forth across the shed by the blows .of pickers, one of which is associated with each shuttle box. The shuttle also may be of conventional type wherein an elongate body of substantially uniform transverse width terminates at each end at a shoulder beyond which the shuttle tapers to a conical tip.

In the operation of a loom, the shuttle is propelled or thrown through the shed from one side to the other alternately by the blows of the pickers. In order to insure travel of the shuttle completely through the shed, regardless of variations in the shed from time to time, the blow delivered to the shuttle by the picker must be heavy enough to give the shuttle a very high initial Velocity. A portion of the energy thus imparted remains unexpended when the shuttle reaches the opposite side of the loom and thus unless prevented, the shuttle will rebound when it strikes the picker so that it is improperly located to receive the next picker blow. A shuttle box is provided at each side of the loom into which the shuttle enters and wherein it comes to rest before starting its return journey, and to absorb the residual energy of the shuttle it is customary to provide a resilient binder or friction device on one wall of the box, said binder engaging one face of the shuttle as the latter nears the end of its journey and jamming the shuttle against the opposite box wall so as frictionally to absorb the energy of the shuttle before it strikes the picker. Thismeans for stopping the shuttle by frictional dissipation of energy is obviously just as effective in absorbing energy when the shuttle starts its return journey, and thus a substantial portion of the power supplied to the loom is expended in overcoming shuttle friction as it enters and leaves the box.

In low speed looms, prior devices for stopping the shuttle and for positioning it to receive the blow of the picker have been reasonably satisfactory but in recent high speed looms, for example, those running at 200 or more picks per minute, the force used in driving the shuttle must be very great in order to insure the necessary starting velocity; the picker strikes the end of the shuttle with terrific force; the beat of the lay is at the samehigh rate as that of the shuttle pickingand the resultis to set up heavy vibraations in the entire loom structure which tend to interferewith the proper rectilinearv travel of the shuttle from box to box along the lay; the loom parts are subject to undue and rapid wear by reason of this vibration; and damage to the cloth being woven often results, and an excess amount of power is required.

A large part of the power consumed in driving the shuttle through the shed is absorbed in overcoming the frictional resistance of the warps forming the shed, and this resistance varies from pick to pick, the variations being accentuated by loom vibration and by changes in the .closeness with which the shuttle hugs the reed. If the shuttle is not properly boxed, when struck by the picker, it may be so spaced from the reed that in entering the shed it encounters great opposition to its movement; such abnormal contact with the selvage damages the selvage warps, and if the opposition so encountered .is. great enough, the shuttle may fail to reachthe other box, causing the loom to slam off with resulting damage and lossof production.

Not only does the entry of the shuttle into the shed, while spaced from, the reed, cause yarn breakage and reduction of speed of the shuttle but the shuttle no longer travels in a rectilinear path, andis caused to flutter, bounce and roll as it movesto-wards the other box. Such fluttering and rolling movements of the shuttle result in great and uneven wear of the shuttle; they pro.- duce high vibration in the reed and often cause the dentsin the reed to break off for a distance of approximately ten inches at each side .of the center of the reed, especially in very high speed looms, and more important, they cause the trailing end of the shuttle to lift as the shuttle enters the shuttle box. Such lifting of the trailing end of the shuttle often causes fraying or cutting of the filling, in particular when the filling is rayon, nylon or silk. Moreover, when the trailing endof the shuttle lifts as it enters the box, so that the shuttle comes to rest in this position, this lifted end (becoming the leading end on the next pick) causes the shuttle to enter the shed improperly, damaging the selvage as it enters; making the shuttle bounce in the middle of the race and damage the other selvage as it leaves the shed, and to strike the box top as it enters the latter with a glancing blow. This causes it to move down and glance .off .Of the middle of the lay end plate so thatits leading end portion of the shuttleiithatjis to say, for

example, less than one-halfj'the length of the shuttle. These prior pivoted binders, like the usual spring type, have a tendency to throw the shuttle axis out of parallel with the lay and reed as the shuttle is entering the box and since they are so short that they do not engage the forward end of the shuttleat the commencement of the pici; and completely lose contact with the shuttle l ong before it leavesithle box, they cannot exert any substantial guiding action such as to insurethat the axis of the shuttle as it leaves the box will be parallel to the lay and reed.

It is obvious that the failure or th shuttle to movein a truly rectilinear path on its way from one box to another results in waste of power and that'such waste of power, consumed in causing abnormal motion of the shuttle in directions transverse to its'proper rectilinearpath, can only result in injury of one sort oranother either to theshuttleitseli, to the lay and reed, or to the yarns beingwoven. Herein, for convenience in description,'ithat end ofthe shuttle box at which the picker is located is termed the outer end and theppposite ends is termed the inner end. j 'IhiB present invention has for itsprincipal object the provision of an improved shuttle box so designed as to prevent rebound of the shuttle as itfenters the box in a novel way and by means which substantially avoids loss of power absorbed in frictional; the beginning of the shuttle travel, while at'the same time so positioning the shuttle as'it comes to rest'that its entire length (except for its tapering ends) will be properly in contact with the lay and substantially free from restraining pressure and inthe optimum position ,tofreceive the pickenblowand so that the resultant motion of the shuttle, when picked across the 100111, will be in;atruly'rectilinear path and without substantial, components of transverse motion; thus, avoiding damage to the shuttle or loom parts; preventing damageto the cloth, reducing vibration and conserving power and substantiall eliminating bad dofi's. "A further object is to'provide a shuttle boxhaving a pivotal side wall, in addition to the usual binder, operaware contact both. ends of the shuttle as the shuttle enters the box and to bring the shuttle tq'rest in the most desirable position for the return pick, that is to say, fiat on the lay end plated LA further object isto provide a shuttle box, one entire sidewall of which is pivotally mounted and so devised as substantially to eliminate bbu ncing; rolling or fluttering of the shuttle as it travels from one box to the other and which is operative substantially to eliminate injurious frictional contact of the shuttle with the cloth salvage in entering and leaving the shed.

A further object is to provide a shuttle box, oneentire side wall of which is pivotally mounted and so arranged that the receiving end of said sidewall is operative to guide the shuttle 4 in its outward trip and to hold it parallel with the opposite side of the box so as to compel the shuttle to enter the shed in the most favorable position, that is to say, hugging the reed.

A further object is to provide a shuttle box so devised as to insure free entrance of the shuttle but having means which automatically restricts the Width of the box entrance, as th shuttle nears the end of its travel, thereby to prevent rebound.

A further object is to provide a shuttle box having retainer means operable by the shuttle itself, as the latter nears the end of its travel, to constrict the entrance to the box to such an extent that the shuttle cannot rebound.

A further object is to provide a shuttle box having a movable wall so devised that, as the shuttl approaches the picker, it contacts said box wall near one end and thereby moves the oppositeend o-i the wallto a position suchas to reduce th widthof the box entrance to less than the Width of the shuttle.

A further object i's i'to provide a shuttle box having a movable wall so shaped that as the shuttle begins its travel it gradually widens the delivery end of the box and by its reaction in so doing is brought into close contact with the opposite wall of the box. v V I A further object is to provide a shuttle box having a cam surface so designed, by engagement with the shuttle as the latter nears the endoi its travel, as to force the shuttle to contact the opposite wall, in such a way that the axis of the shuttle is placed. accurately parallel to the face of the reed.

Aiurther object is. .t0, provide means operative, asthe shuttle is entering the box, to impart a series of blows of progressively diminishingintensity against thesideof the shuttle, said blows being applied to oppqsiteends of the shuttle alternatively, thereby to move the shuttle toward the rear wall of the box so as to align it axially with the direction of picker force.

A further object is to provide an improved shuttle box, oneentire. side wall of which is so shaped (at its inner shuttle-engaging surface) that when the shuttlefis boxed, said wall only contacts the shuttle at widely spaced points adjacent respectivelyto the opposite ends of the latter. ,A further object is to provide an improved shuttle box, one entire side wall of which is pivotally supported and whose inner shuttleen'gaging surface is concave from end to end, the concavity being deepest at a point adjacent to the pivotal axisoi thewall and intermediate the ends of the latter. a

-A further object isto provide a novel method of absorbing the energy of the shuttle and then bringing it to rest.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating th improved shuttle boxof the present invention embodied in a m of the Draper type;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view, to smaller scale, of the lay of the'loom with its central part broken away and with shuttle boxes embodying the present invention at its opposite ends;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section to larger scalethrough the rear or fixed wall of the left-hand shuttle box, illustrating a binder of a usual type;

Fi Bis a ir n-t cl vat ncf: the-par sshown nfl s- 2-;

--t;hro.u h the supp rting racket and he pivo means for the movable-box wall;

Fig.- 7 is a perspective view of a bracketerm -ploy d insupp rtingthe piv te wall of the-r hthand shuttle box;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan vieW pantIyi-n horizontal section and with pants broken away, showing the left-hand end-portion .o;f-=the pivoted wall of' the left-hand box and illustrating-the spring means which urges the pivoted wall toward normal position;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view, to small scale, of the leftvhandf shuttle box showing the parts in the position which they occupy as the shuttle, in entering the box, first contacts the pivoted wall;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the shuttle further advanced into the box;

Fig. 11 is a similar View showing the shuttleat rest in the fully boxedposition;

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic plan view of the-left hand shuttle box showing the picker engaging the end of the shuttle and starting the shuttle on its pick toward the right;

Fig. 13 shows the shuttle at a further stage in the ejection of the shuttle from the .box; and

Fig. 14 shows the shuttle substantially. at the end of the picker stroke and contacting the pivoted wall of the box only at the right-hand end of the latter.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1, which shows parts of anonventional loom of the Draper type, except that it is-equi pped with a shuttle boxaccording to the present invention, the niunerall designates the left-hand end portion of the lay. The lay end? plate iseshown at 2, the reed at 3, the left-hand. picker at- 4 and the picker stick at 5. In thistypeofloom,

the fixed rear wall 6 of the shuttle- :box is-provided with a horizontal slot which receives the resilient binder B (Fig. 2 It has heretoforebeen customary to provide the shuttle box with-a fixed front wall (usually withyprovisionforadjustment) and as the shuttle S enters the box .it contacts the binder which resiliently urges the shuttle against the front wall so that the energy of the shuttle is frictionally dissipated.

In accordance with the present invention, and with particular reference to the left-hand shuttie box (to avoid comp atio in d scription the entire front wall 7 (Figs. 1, 2, 33111115) of the shuttle box is. mounted to swing about a substantially vertical axis, intermediate its ends and preferably approximately midway of its length.

To provide pivotal support for the front wall I, a bracket 8 (Fig. 6) is attached by bolts flto the front edge ID of the lay. This bracket-has an elongate slot ll substantially perpendicular to the front edge of the lay which receives the shank of a bolt 12 (Fig. 6 which extends up through the slot H and through a bearing sleeve l3 having a flange 14 which rests upon the upper faceof the bracket; An, adjustable .stopscrew l;5 limits *tact with the shuttle.

the. Inwa d m vement Qfthe bolt ll-inthcxslot- Thefmntwall (Fig,- 5) o the sh t e 'bQX anoutw r ly di ec d ar; r fin ovide. w ha vertical bore It which fits over thebearing sleeve I3. A washer ll restsupon the topend of the bearing sleeve and a nut l8aengages thescrewe threaded "lower end of the boltto hold-the front wall inoperative position. By-removal of the bolt l2, a front -Wall; of different ,dimenSiQn (appropriate to the shuttle being used) may be sub stituted; As an example of proper dimension, the lover-all length of the, wall 1 maybe sixteen iiIIChQ J the distance,- between the points 623; and fou teen nch x and the e all length of h cerrespondins shuttle rom i o. nfif aen a d one-f urth inches; an the n h; 'Qi: the shuttle from: shoulder to shoulder, ten inches. A orre ondi length for e ri ht-hand: box wall would be fifteen inch-es. The-weight .of 'the wall .1 (usually of cast iron) may be .of-the. order of three pounds, so, that it offers a substantial inertia opposition to rapid changein direction; of movement. The maximumdepthof the concavity ofthe inner-cam face of the wall; as hereafter described, mayv vary from approximately onesixteenth to one-eighthqof an inch. v

The front wall of-the left-whand hut-tle box-i shown in more detail in Fig. 5. This-wall may have the general configuration of the normally flxed'front wall of the particular typeof loom with which it is used, beingof ajheight approximating the height of the shuttle body andin- -cluding the elongate horizontal slot 19- (Fig. .3) in its leftehandend portion, the outwardlyacurved tips Zllandr-Zl and provision for-theattachment of a leather or similar lining 22 1(Fig:.--2) for-con:-

However, in accordance "with the present invention; the leather liningj-is foundto -be unnecessary and-may be dispensed with, and is not shown inFigs. 4 'and 5, the inner surface of the wallitself being smoothly finished for contact with the shuttle. 1 q

Usually. the shuttle-contacting face of the fixed front wall of the box is substantially rectilinear except at its extreme ends where iti-merges with the-points 23 and2 l are the spaced crests ofa sinuous curve, concave toward the opposite wall 6 Ofthebox between saidcrests? and throughout the major part .of' the length of. the wall "I and which is deepest at apoint ,adjacentto the pivotal axis .of'thewall I, the curve reversing-at the points 23" and 24. This curve need not be exactly symmetrical with reference to the pivotal axis, for instance; it may. be somewhat morelabruptto the left of the axis. This concave inner face ofs'the front wall smoothly merges with the convex surf ces at the opposite ends respec iv ly. ofthe wall. The pivotal axis of the front wall; I is so adjusted (with reference to the-shuttle to be used) that whenthe shuttle is fully boxfid, it contacts heinner face of t wa l atsnacedno nts (Fi 52) th ncu ved nc 'f-ace but snut of contact w thi he box W erme iate hesc noints.

Thawa lr l =prpvidcd- 1 ear. ts; an-hand and.

apogee;

7 with ai second olitwardly directed"ear"25 '(Figsffi and 8') having-an elongate slot 26 which receives theshank' of a bolt whose'head 21(Fi'g. 1') is dis posed above the car 25 and whose threaded lower end is received in a threaded hole in 2. his 28 projecting from the lay. A coiled spring 29 (Fig. 8) is interposed'between this bolt and the rear wallof the'slot 26 and tends to swing the lefthand end portion of the wall 1 rearwardly (that is'f'toward'the oppositewall 6 of the box); An adjustable stop screw 30 limits such rearward swinging movement of the wall I. The shuttle box at the right-hand side of the loom (Figs. 2, 3 and') is in all substantial particulars like the left-hand box just described, differing'only to a accommodate loom partsbdstomarily located at the right-hand side only of the loom. Thus, the numeral 3| (Fig. 2) designates the right-hand end of the lay; 32 the right-hand lay end plate; 1Mthe'right hand'picker; and 36 the fixed rear wall of the right-handshuttle box, said rearwall having the usual binder, corresponding to the binder B above described.

' The'front wall'3'l (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) of the righthand shuttle box is pivotally supported intermediate its ends (approximately midway its length) by abracket 38 (Fig. 7) having holes 39 for the reception of 'bolts'39 (Fig. 3) bymeans'of whichdt is fixed to the lay. This bracket' 'has an elongate slot which receives a" bolt '42"(Fig. 2)

which adjustably supports a bearing sleeve (not shown) on which the front wall 31' is pivotally mounted to swing'about a'vertical axis.' Ingeneral, the wall 31 is like the left-hand shuttle box wall Tabove described except, forexample, that it may be provided with an elongate open-ended slot" 42 (Fig. 3) to accommodate a so-called' -Sta'iford cutter.- The inner face'of the wall 31 is'curved similarly to the inner face of the wall 1 (except that the curve is reversed left for right) having the spaced cam crests and '44 corresponding to the crests 23 and 24*- of the wall 1'. The front wall 31 of'the right-hand box has the outwardly directed ear 45 near its right-hand end provided with an elongate slot which houses a spring 49 (Fig' 2) which tends to swing the righthand end of the box rea'rwardly,'such movement being limited by the stop screw 59.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the length of the movable front wall I of the shuttle box and the location of its pivot is such that when the shuttle is fully boxed, with its advanced or left-hand tip T in contact with the picker 4, the right-hand ortrailing tip T of the shuttle is well to the left of the right-hand or inner end 2| of the wall I. a The crest 24 of the curve of the inner surface of the walll is now located (Fig. 2) to the right of contact with 'the side of the shuttle so that said latter end of the wall 1 cannot swing rearwardly,

and the shuttle is housed in on all sides.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, that part of the binder B which is first effectively contacted by the 'shut tle, as'the latter enters thebox, is spaced tothe can from th pivotaraxis of the front "Win17; 50'

that the first contact (Fig.9) of the shuttlei with the binder is after the shoulder G of theshuttle has passed the pivotal axis of the front wall.

Normally (that is, meaning during the flight of the shuttle from box to box) the spring 29 holds the left-hand end of the box wall as far to the rear as is permitted by the stop 30, thus swinging the right-hand end of the box wall'outwardly or away from the fixed wall 6. When thus positioned, the crest 24 of the cam face 24 of the wall I is spaced (Fig. 9) from the rear wall 6 a distance greater than the width of the shuttle, for example, one-eighth of an inch greater than the width of the shuttle body. This provides a wide entrance E (convergent toward the" left'Y'into which the advancing end of the shuttle enters freely. Not until the shoulder G of the advancing end of the shuttle engages the'binde'r'B (at a point beyond the pivotal axis of wall 7) is the position of the wall I changed, because the concavity of the inner or cam face of the wallbetween the crest points 23 and 24 provides sulficient clearance to prevent premature contact. This early stage in the boxing'of the shuttle is diagrammatically indicated in Fi'g. 9f Immediately the advancing shoulder of the shuttl engages the binder B, said end is caused to contact the cam surface 23 of the wall l' substantially at thepoint M 7 I This sudden sharp impact momentarily swings theleft-hand end of the wall 1 outwardly, causing its rightg-hand end at'tlie point 24 (Figi 10) to strike the face of the shuttle with a sudden blow which drives it back against the rear wall 6. This throws the left-hand end of the wall I away from the shuttle, but immediately the action of the spring 29 coupled with therebound from contact at the point 24 causes the left-hand end of the wall I again to contact the side of the shuttle at a point somewhere to the right of the point 23 It is believed that the wall I undergoes a series of such swinging movements in extremely rapid succession, the motion being too rapid for visual observation, the energy of the shuttle be ing absorbed in thus vibrating the movable wall I which is of considerable mass. The intensity of the blows depends upon the energy of the shuttle as it enters the box and progressively diminishes in force. Eventually the shuttle comes to rest, as shown in Figs. 1 and 11, with its longitudinal axis accurately aligned with the line of direction of picker force and with the wall so positioned as to constrict the entrance E thereby to prevent shuttle rebound.

When, for the next pick, the picker 4 applies a blow to the tip T of the boxed shuttle (Fig. 12) the inertia of the wall l is such (the spring 29 being relatively light) that the right-hand end of the box wall moves outwardly by the cam action of the right-hand shoulder G of the shuttle against the cam surface 24 merely enough to permit the shuttle to escape from the box. Thus, during the entire action of the pickerand until the trailing end of the shuttle has completely left without any substantial component acting transversely of the shuttle. Thus, the shuttle enters the shed perfectly positioned with its rear side in contact with the reed and resting flat against the shuttle race of the lay so that the shuttle-exhibits no tendency to bounce or-"roll during'fiightor to exert undue pressure againstthe warps of the selvedge. 'Since it is thus free from tendency to roll, it wears evenly on its bottom and that side which engages'the reed so that the life of the shuttle'is substantially prolonged. At the-same time, as above pointed out, the power required is substantially reduced, "as compared with prior practice, because'it is unnecessary to impart so heavy a blow to the shuttle as is required when a substantial part of the energy so delivered to the shuttle is wastefully expended in producing transverse or up and down movements of the shuttle and in overcoming'frictional resistance of the shuttle with thewarp threads.

While the movement of the shuttle, in entering and leaving the left-hand box has thus been described, it is of course obviousthat the operations at the right-hand side of the box are the same and have similar consequences.

-:'While asherein described theright-hand end portion of the frontzwall of the box (referring to theIleft-hand box) has been suggested as the means:for. constricting the entrance to the box as the shuttle nears the end of its travel, it is obvious that entrance constricting gate means, independent of the'front wall, but similarly actuated by the advancing end of the shuttle may be employed to the-same effect, whether carried by the moving wall itself or otherwise supported, and it isto be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any such device. Furthermore, while the invention has'herein been illustrated for specific example as adapted for a loom of that type in which a binder is mounted ina-fixed rear wall of the shuttle box, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to looms in which the binder is mounted in a fixed front wall, in which case the pivoted movable wall of the box herein described would form the rear boxwall instead of the front wall,

the operation in controlling the shuttle being the same in either case.

It is further to be noted that in accordance with the presentinvention it is the entire box wall which is pivotally mounted and that this wall is longer than the length of the shuttle to be used and that when the shuttle is boxed the pivotal point of this movable wall is nearer to the trailing end of the shuttle than to that end of the shuttle which comes to rest in contact with the picker. Thus, this improved box wall is to be distinguished from prior pivoted binders which only contact theshuttle at its advancing end portion and usually within the first held of its length.

Whilea desirable embodiment of the invention has herein been shown and described by way of example, it is tobe understood that the invention shall be broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling withinthescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in a loom, a shuttle box having front and rear walls, the front wall being 10 picker, and a'spring normally urging said latter end of the wall toward the opposite-wall of the box.

2. A shuttle box for looms comprising front and rear walls, a binder mounted on one of said walls,= the entire opposite wall being pivoted'to turn about a vertical axis substantially midway between its ends, said latter wall being of a height approximating that-of the shuttle and being concave toward the other wall, the pivoted Wall being operative, by inertia effect, to absorb the energy of the shuttle as the latter enters the box.

3. A shuttle box for use in a loom in whichthe shuttleis impelled across the shed by pickers, said box having'frontand rear walls, a binder mounted on one of said walls, the opposite wall being movable and arranged to turn about a'substantially vertical axis intermediate its ends, and s ring means tending to urge the end'which is nearest to the picker, which is associatedwith said box, toward the opposite wall of the box.

l. A shuttle box for'looms comprising front and rear walls, a binder mounted on one of said walls, the opposite wall being movable, a pivot supportingthe latter -wall, said pivot being adjustable toward and from the opposite wall, and spring means tending to swing said movable wall about its pivot.

'5. A shuttle box for'looms comprising front and rear walls, a binder mounted on one wall, the opposite wall being pivotally supported to turn about an axis'intermediate its endsjthe inner surface of said movable wall being so shaped as to contact a boxed-shuttle only at points adjacent to its oppositeends respectively.

-6.In combination in a loom having a' lay, a reed-and a picker, a shuttle box having front and rear walls, one of said walls being fixed, a binder mounted on said fixed wall, the other of said walls being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to turn about a vertical axis, the inner surface of said pivoted wall being concave so that only its spaced-apart tip portions can contact a boxed shuttle adjacent to the opposite ends respec tively of thelatter, said shuttle-engaging tip portions being so arranged that'when in contact with the shuttle theyhold the latter with its axis accurately parallel to the reed. 7 A

7. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, a shuttle box at each end of the lay,

and pickers whereby theshuttle is propelled along the lay in opposite directions, each shuttle box having'f-ront and rear Walls, each substantially as long as the shuttleto be used and a binder mounted on the rear wall, characterized in that the front wall of each shuttle box is pivoted substantially midway its ends to turn about avertical axis, each front-wall having at one end a part of a height-approximating that of the shuttle body and which constricts-the entrance to the box asthe enterin shuttle nears the picker, thereby'to prevent rebound 0f the shuttle, and a spring engaging the movable wall and urging its opposite end toward the rear wall and into the path of the shuttle as the latter enters the box so that it is engaged by the shuttle and before the shuttle'contacts the picker.

8. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, areed, a shuttle box at each end of the lay, and pickers whereby a shuttle of conventional type, having an-elongateibody portion terminating at eachend at a shoulder beyond which the shuttle tapers toward -a--conical tip, is propelled along the lay in opposite directions, each shuttle 'boxhaving front and-rearwalls, each longer than the-distance between the shoulders of the shuttle to be used, characterized in that the entrance end of the shuttle box is normally of a width greater than the width of the shuttle body, and in that one wall of the box consists of an elongate unitary lever, one end of which is of a vertical height approximating that of the shuttle body and which is operative to constrict said entrance end of the box to a width less than that of the shuttle body as the advancing end of the shuttle nears the picker, the opposite end of said lever being directly engageable by the advancing end of the shuttle, before the latter contacts the picker, thereby to swing the lever to dispose its firstenamed end across the entrance to the shuttle box.

,9, In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, a shuttle box at each end of the lay, and pickers whereby the shuttle is propelled along the lay in opposite directions, each shuttle box having front and rear walls, one, at least, of said walls terminating at a point inwardly of the atrest position of the picker, whereby, when the shuttle is fully boxed, said wall extends beyond the inner end of the shuttle, characterized in that said latter wall is movable about a substantially vertical pivot and in having a spring normally holding the inner end of the pivoted wall away from the opposite wall to provide an entrance to thebox of greater width than the body of the shuttle, the outer end portion of said pivoted wall being engageable by the shuttle as the latter nears the picker, thereby swinging the inner end of said wall so as to constrict the box entrance to a width less than that of the shuttle body.

10. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, a shuttle box at each end of the lay, and pickers whereby the shuttle is propelled along the lay in opposite directions, each shuttle. box having front and rear walls, characterized in that the entrance end of the shuttle box is at a distance from the at-rest position of the picker greater than the length of the shuttle, and that said entrance end is normally of a width greater than the width of the shuttle body, one of the .walls of the shuttle box being a unitary rigid lever pivoted to swing about a vertical axis substantially midway between its ends, one end of the lever being directly engageable by the advancing end of the shuttle as the latter approaches, but before it contacts the picker, whereby said wall is swung by the shuttle so that the opposite end of the wall is moved inwardly to constrict the entrance end of the box to a width less than that of the shuttle, and sprin means urging the firstnamed end of the lever toward the opposite wall of the box.

11. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, a shuttle box at each end of the lay, and pickers whereby a shuttle of conventional type is propelled along the lay in opposite directions, each shuttle box having front and rear walls with a binder mounted on the rear wall of each box, characterized in that the entering end of the shuttle box is at a distance fromthe atrest position of the picker greater than the length of the shuttle employed and that said end of the box is normally of a width greater than that of the width of the shuttle body, the front wall of each box consisting of a unitary lever of substantial mass, pivotally supported substantially midway between its ends to turn about a vertical axis, one end of said front wall being engageable by the entering shuttle, as the advancing end of the latter nears the picker, to swing the lever so 12 as to position the opposite end of the lever to constrict the box entrance to a width less than that of the shuttle body, and a spring urgin the firstnamed end of said lever toward the rear wall of the box.

12. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, a shuttle box at each end of a lay, and pickers whereby the shuttle of conventional type is propelled along the lay in opposite directions, each shuttle box having front and rear walls, and wherein the entrance end of the shuttle box is at a distance from the atrest position of the picker greater than the length of the body portion of the shuttle, and wherein the width of said entrance end is normally greater than the width of the shuttle body, a binder mounted on one wall of the box, characterized in that the opposite wall of the box is pivoted to turn about a vertical axis, a spring tending to swing that end of said wall, which is nearest to the picker associated with the respective box, toward the opposite wall of the box, said latter end of the pivoted box-wall bein engageable by the advancing end of the shuttle as the trailing end of the latter passes the box entrance, thereby to swin the wall and cause its opposite end to constrict said entrance to a width less than that of the shuttle body.

13. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, shuttle boxes and pickers, and wherein a shuttle of conventional type, having an elongate body portion terminating at each end at a shoulder beyond which the shuttle tapers toward a conical tip, travels along the lay from box to box, characterized in that each shuttle box has spaced side walls, each of a length greater than the distance between the shoulders of the shuttle, a binder mounted upon one of said walls, the other of said 'wallsbeing pivoted to swing about a substantially vertical axis intermediate its ends, that end of said pivoted wall which is remote from the picker having a cam face operative by engagement with the shuttle as the latter leaves the box to position the shuttle with its axis accurately parallel to the lay and reed, and a spring urgin the other end of said pivoted wall toward the opposite wall of the box.

14. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, shuttle boxes and pickers and wherein a shuttle of conventional type, having an elongate body portion terminating at each end at a shoulder beyond which the shuttle tapers toward a conical tip, travels along the lay from box to box, characterized in that each shuttle box has spaced side walls, each of a length greater than the distance between the shoulders of the shuttle, a binder mounted on one of said Walls, the other of said walls being pivoted to swing about a substantially vertical axis substantially midway between its ends, the inner surface of said pivoted wall being concave substantially from end to end, the concavity being deepest at a point closely adjacent to the pivotal axis of said wall so that said wall contacts a boxed shuttle only at points adjacent to the opposite ends of the latter, and a spring urging that end of said wall which is nearest to the picker, pertainin to'that respective box, toward the opposite wall of the box.

15. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, shuttle boxes and pickers and wherein a shuttle travels alon the lay from box to box, characterized in that each shuttle box has spaced side walls, one of said walls being pivoted to swing about a substantially vertical axis substantially midway between its ends, said pivoted wall having cam, surfaces at its shuttle-contact- 13 ing face engageable with the shuttle as it enters and leaves the box, respectively, said cam surfaces being so arranged that when the shuttle is boxed they contact the shuttle only adjacent to the opposite ends respectively of the latter.

16. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, shuttle boxes and pickers and wherein a shuttle of conventional type, having an elongate body portion terminating at each end at a shoulder beyond which the shuttle tapers toward a conical tip, travels along the lay from box to box, characterized in that each shuttle box has spaced side walls, each of a length greater than the distance between the shoulders of the shuttle, a binder mounted on one of said walls, the other wall being pivoted to swin about a substantially vertically axis substantially midway between its ends, said pivoted wall being of substantially rigid material and having an inner shuttle-engaging surface which is smoothly concave substantially from end to end of said Wall, and spring means tending to swing that end of said pivoted wall which is nearest to the picker, pertaining to the respective box, toward the opposite wall of the box.

17. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, shuttle boxes and pickers and wherein a shuttle travels along the lay from box to box, characterized in that each shuttle box has spaced side walls, a binder mounted on one of said walls, the other wall being pivoted to swing about a substantially vertical axis, said pivoted wall bein of rigid material and of substantial weight, the inner surface of said wall, in horizontal section, being smoothly concave, the concavity being deepest at a point adjacent to the pivotal axis, and a spring tending to swing that end of the wall which is nearest to the picker, pertaining to the respective box, toward the opposite wall.

18. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a reed, shuttle boxes and pickers and wherein a shuttle travels along the lay from box to box, characterized in that each shuttle box has spaced side walls, one of said walls being pivoted to swing about a substantially vertical axis, means for adjusting the pivotal axis bodily toward and from the opposite wall, the inner, shuttle-engaging surface of the pivoted wall being so shaped that when the shuttle is fully boxed its end portions only contact said wall, and spring means tending to move that end of the pivoted wall which is nearest to the picker toward the opposite wall.

19. A wall structure for one side wall of use in substitution for the shuttle box wall of a weaving loom having a lay on which the shuttle box is mounted and in which a shuttle of conventional type, having an elongate body portion terminating at each end at a shoulder beyond which the shuttle tapers toward a conical tip, is employed, said wall structure comprising a supporting bracket and means for attaching it to the lay, a pivot member carried by said bracket, an elongate box-wall mounted to swing on said pivot member, said box wall being of a length greater than the distance between the shoulders of the shuttle to be used, the inner surface of said wall being longitudinally concave, and a spring for urging that end of the movable wall which is nearest to the end of the lay toward the opposite side of the shuttle box.

20. A wall structure for use in substitution for one side wall of the shuttle box of a weaving loom having a lay on which the shuttle box is mounted, said wall structure comprising a supporting bracket and means for attaching it to the lay, a pivot member carried by said bracket, means for adjusting the pivot member bodily from front to rear, an elongate box-wall of substantially rigid material mounted to swing on said pivot member, said pivoted wall being of a. length to reach beyond the inner end of the shuttle when the latter is fully boxed, the inside surface of said pivoted wall being longitudinally concave, a sprin urging that end of the movable wall which is nearest to the picker end of the lay toward the opposite wall of the box, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring.

21. In combination in a loom, a shuttle box having a fixed wall, a binder mounted on said fixed wall, and shuttle controlling means including a movable retainer element, of approximately the full height of the shuttle box, which is normally out of the path of the shuttle but which is operative to constrict the entrance of the box when the shuttle is fully boxed, said controlling means including a part which is directly contacted by the shuttle itself as the latter enters the box and before it strikes the picker thereby moving said retainer element to constrict the entrance to the box.

22. In combination in a loom having pickers for impelling a shuttle across the shed, a shuttle box whose entrance end is normally freely open for admission of the shuttle, shuttle-controlling means, including a pivoted wall, of substantially the full height of the shuttle box, one end of the wall being operative at times to constrict said entrance end of the box, another part of the wall being constructed and arranged for engagement by the advancing end of the shuttle, as the latter approaches but before it contacts that picker which is associated with said box thereby to swing the wall so as to dispose said first-named end in entrance-constricting position.

ANTHONY H. LA FRENIERE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 163,671 Mallory May 25, 1875 1,316,551 I-Iolt Sept. 16, 1919 1,482,800 Larin Feb. 5, 1924 1,996,527 Sikes Apr. 2, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,343 Great Britain of 1894 200,304 Great Britain July 12, 1923 643,576 France May 16, 1928 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,501,394 March 21, 1950 ANTHONY H. LA FRENIERE It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 13, line 55, strike out the words one side wall of and insert the same after for and before the in line 56, same column;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of June, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

